Germany Quiz 8: Saxony Part I: How to Speak Sächsisch

Sächsisch Deutsch is probably the most local of regional dialects in Germany. Consisting of a mixture of dialects from the regions of Lausitz, Vogtland, Franconia and the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), people living in Saxony use this dialect with stresses on the short A and long O for vowels as well as consonant sounds mainly of sch, g, k and b. When compared with the high German, it’s like speaking a completely different language, like one sees with the Low German, Franconian German, local Bavarian and even some northern German dialects in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. Some like Franz Xaver Kroetz find this dialect somewhat fremdschämend (embarassing):

However, like all the dialects, the Sächsisch des have some bright spots, apart from winning the hearts of a local woman in a village in the Ore Mountains or Vogtland region. Especially if you are a miner in the mountains along the Silver Road between Zwickau and Lichtenstein, a yodeler in Little Switzerland south of Dresden or even a farmer in the green valley near Glauchau, if you can sing the Sachsenlied, as written by Jürgen Hart, you can expect a bouquet of wild flowers and a mug of local beer from an admireress to go along with the chisel and hard hat 😉 :

Either way you interpret it, Sächsisch Deutsch is the most local of all German dialects and one where if you have a dictionary, CD on how to learn it and (for the men), a beautiful local woman to teach you the language, you will open the doors to its local pride and heritage. And even if you have a partner from another part of Germany, Europe or elsewhere, having an opportunity to listen in on the locals will help you get a grasp of the language and perhaps open up new business ties with them, as they hold a treasure of inventions and patents of products we still use today.

As part of the series on German states and the quizzes and concentrating on Saxony itself, the Files has comprised a quiz, testing your knowledge of Sächsisch Deutsch and teaching you the tricks of the language, with the exception of the first part, all of the tasks consist of multiple choice questions, so you have at least a one in three chance of getting the answer right. The answer sheet will come in May.

So without further ado, 😉

Activity 1:

The following words are written in Sächsisch German. Find the equivalents in high German and English. The first 10 are quite easy to find, yet the last 10 has a hint given in one of the two languages.

Sächsisch

Hochdeutsch

English

Fläscher

Radscho

Bargblad

Gliewärmel

Daschendicher

Biordäggl

Nachellagg

Breedschen

Beefschdeeg

Glemdnor

Lorke

Dünner Kaffee

Reformande

Strafpredigt

Dreiche

Dry

Blembe

Weak soup

Bliemchen (-kaffee)

Ersatzkaffee

Kääbsch

Picky (eater)

Iezch

Angry

Motschgiebchen

Marinekäfer

Quatschen

Shooting the breeze (oral)

Rumbläken

Herumschreien

Activity 2.

In your honest opinion, what is the Sächsisch equivalent to the following cities in Saxony. Mark the best answer. In some cases, none of the answers apply and therefore, you need to choose other and write it in (and also mention in the Comment section here)

Now look at the pictures and choose the best of the three words in Sächsisch German and identify the English meaning.

a. Pieramidgerzen b. Bieramidngärdse c. Booramidskärze EN:

a. Bleedma b. Duummann c. Blodmama EN:

a. Seegeboot b. Sähschelboud c. Sälhboot EN:

a. Chim-Cheroo b. Feierrübel c. Firebookman EN:

a. Pomguberschbärde b. Geeschma c. Gombschudoreggsbärde EN:

Now that you have an idea how Sächsisch can be spoken, we will move onto the Quiz on Saxony itself, but not before listening to a pair of songs in Sächsisch- one of which by German comedian, Rainald Grebe.